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Australian stocks lead Asia on healthy earnings

Kelvin Chan AP Business Writer

Updated:
08/14/2014 01:44:59 AM EDT

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FILE - This July 15, 2013 file photo shows a sign for Wall Street outside the New York Stock Exchange, in New York. Global stock markets overcame a contraction in Japan's economy and jitters about Ukraine and Iraq to mostly rise Wednesday, but analysts said new geopolitical developments would likely make for volatile trading. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

KEEPING SCORE: Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.7 percent to 15,317.46 while South Korea's Kospi was practically unchanged at 2,061.89. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.7 percent to 5,552.30. But Hong Kong's Hang Seng edged 0.1 percent lower to 24,871.55 and the Shanghai Composite in mainland China fell less than 0.1 percent to 2,221.80. Markets in Taiwan, India and the Philippines rose but in Indonesia and Thailand they fell.

AUSTRALIAN BONANZA: A batch of upbeat earnings reports are pleasing investors in Australia. Fairfax Media Ltd. jumped 7 percent after the company returned to an annual profit after years of losses. Mobile phone company Telstra Corp. added 2 percent after posting higher profit. Gambling operator Crown Resorts Ltd. surged 5.6 percent after reporting profit increased by two thirds thanks to its joint venture casino operations in Macau.

PC PROFITS: No. 1 personal computer maker Lenovo Group climbed 0.5 percent after it reported quarterly profit rose 23 percent on stronger sales of smartphones and other mobile devices. State-owned China Mobile, the world's biggest wireless carrier by subscribers, is among the dozens of other Hong Kong-listed companies expected to report earnings later in the day.

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CHINA ECONOMY: Benchmarks in Hong Kong and Shanghai were lagging indexes elsewhere in the region a day after disappointing data on the Chinese economy. Fixed investment and industrial production for July slowed, though the big surprise was the sharp drop in loan growth, which Rabobank analyst Michael Every called "shockingly low." But the declines limited on hopes that policymakers in Beijing would offer more support to the No. 2 economy.

US CUES: Investors are looking ahead to more hints on the health of the global economy with the release of U.S. unemployment benefit applications later Thursday. They come a day after U.S. retail sales edged up a tiny amount compared with the month before, fueling hopes that the Fed will maintain stimulus.

WALL STREET: The Dow gained 0.6 percent to close at 16,651.80. The S&P 500 rose 0.7 percent to end at 1,946.72. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite climbed 1 percent to 4,434.13.

ENERGY: Benchmark crude oil for September delivery was down 25 cents to $97.34 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 43 cents to $104.63 in London.

CURRENCIES: The euro slipped to $1.3363 from $1.3365 in late trading Thursday. The dollar rose to 102.59 yen from 102.42 yen.